AMY SALISBURY
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
April 2011 is proving to be a hybrid of sun and snow. Boots, raincoats and hats have resurfaced before they had a chance to dry out from the last rains of winter. A chilly start to spring means some are still stuffing tissues in their pockets. College students are feeling the stress of the postmidterms crunch, leaving many with weakened immune systems that are susceptible to any nearby sneeze. If the common cold is what ails you, here are a few remedies most everyone has at home to help combat the sniffles and leave you ready to take on the semester’s remaining weeks.
Have some OJ with your breakfast. Fresh squeezed orange juice not is one of the most vitamin C rich foods in existence. According to biologist Thomas Peel, vitamin C is not only effective in fighting colds, but it helps in the growth and rebuilding of bone and muscle. Stay away from chalky vitamin C wafers, as the U.S. Food and Nutrition board recommends nutrient intake primarily through foods rather than multivitamins, since the latter are synthetic and less easily absorbed.
Go lay out. Here in San Diego, tanning in April is certainly not out of the question. Getting some sun helps your body produce vitamin D, and it can affect your mood in a positive way. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD, appropriately) is typified by depressed moods during fall and winter, mostly because of a vitamin D deficiency, so start making up for that lost sunlight ASAP. According to Mayo Clinic, vitamin D is great for the body and mind.
Soup for the soul. The old mantra as a standby for cold treatment is more valid than you might think. Soup has much more water in it than other foods, aiding in hydration when your body is trying to fight off a cold virus. Parsley and carrots, traditional chicken soup ingredients, are both rich in vitamin A. Vitamin A helps keep eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist, in case that dry cough is getting tough to handle (lifeclinic.com).
Read: chocolate and peanut butter. This does not mean a Reese’s binge is acceptable here, but both foods are high in zinc, which has the potential to shorten the duration of a cold. Chocolate candy with high concentrations of cacao is preferred, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. Organic peanut butter made from oil-roasted peanuts and minimal sweeteners is your best bet; only 100 grams of peanuts or peanut butter provides nearly half of the RDA of zinc.
Calm down with chamomile. Sometimes colds cause an inflammatory response on the outside of your body, including the eyes. Calm redness in your eyes with the super anti-inflammatory food, chamomile. Make a weak tea, let it cool until it is barely warmer than your skin, and rinse your face with it. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), chamomile causes allergic reactions in some individuals, so test the solution on the inside of your wrist first.
Take a dip in the spa. Ashish Kalekar of inhouseremedy. com said, “Nothing chases away a bad case of congestion better than some good ol’ steam treatment.” If you are lucky enough to have access to a hot tub, this is when to take advantage of it. If not, take a bath or shower and breathe deep. Modify this suggestion if you have fever with steam concentrated on just your face instead of your whole body.
Sleep it off. After a relaxing bit of heat, change into some comfy clothes and pass out. Psychology Today explained that sleep is one of the most important mechanisms your body employs for healing.
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